


Obsessions and Poorly Named Coffee Shops

by fallenforsupernatural



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-26
Updated: 2013-11-26
Packaged: 2018-01-02 16:33:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1059080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallenforsupernatural/pseuds/fallenforsupernatural
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jensen Ackles had a routine, a very specific routine that he never breaks. But Jared Padalecki, with his floppy hair and dimples, messes up Jensen's routine. It's starting to get annoying.<br/>Jared doesn't have a crush on Jensen. Honest. He just wants to be friends with his really hot ex-TA.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Obsessions and Poorly Named Coffee Shops

**Author's Note:**

> I make no promises that this is my last college!au or coffee house!au.

Jensen had a routine. His first class started at 9:00 because Jensen was physically incapable of getting up early. And on the way to his art history class every morning Jensen stopped by Early Bird Beans, his favorite coffee shop. And as dorky as Jensen found the name, they had the best coffee on the college campus and it was right on the way to his class.

Jensen always got the same thing. Black coffee, no sugar, no cream. He’d always get their special roast from Danneel Harris, excellent barista and Jensen’s best friend. He’d get there at 8:30 and sit down at his favorite table in the corner with a book to read until he had to get up and go to class.

Danneel gave him the same amused glance every morning. “You never find it _boring_ to do the same thing every day, Jenny?”

Jensen shrugged. “Don’t feel like breaking it. Why fix what isn’t broken?”

Danneel rolled her eyes. “You don’t think you’re being a little, you know, boring?”

“Not really. I’m happy with what I’ve got going on,” Jensen said.

“Jensen, you don’t want to go out and meet a guy or something?” Danneel asked. “Have an actual boyfriend?”

“I’m good with what I’ve got.”

“Homework, a female best friend, and literally no social life. Sounds awesome.”

“I hate you.”

Danneel laughed. “I know.” She slid a cup of coffee over to him. “Pay up.”

“My best friend works at a coffee shop and I don’t even get free coffee?”

“Do you want to get me _fired_?” Danneel shot back.

“Maybe.” Jensen handed her the cash. “Knock you off your high horse.”

Danneel swatted him. “Love you.”

“You too. Even if you make me pay for coffee.”

Jensen sat at the table in the corner and pulled out a worn copy of _Sherlock Holmes_. He lost himself in the mystery and ignored the outside world, sipping coffee. When it reached 8:45, like every day, Jensen got up and left to go to his class.

 

For lunch Jensen met Danneel in the small café in between his and Danneel’s class. “Jensen, we’ve got to stop doing this.”

“Doing what?” Jensen asked absentmindedly. He was leafing through his history textbook and not quite hearing his friend.

“Doing the same thing every day. Same lunch, same place for coffee, same movie night.”

“No thank you,” Jensen replied. “That would require doing different things.”

“That’s the _point_ ,” Danneel said exasperatedly. “Go out and meet someone. Your mopey ass is getting on my nerves. You need to get laid.”

Jensen blushed. Only Danneel knew that at 21 years old, Jensen was still a virgin. And he really didn’t need to be reminded of that information. “I’m happy.”

“No you’re not. You’ve fallen into a routine and mistaken monotonous for happiness. Let me tell you, they are not the same thing.”

Jensen sighed. “Can we discuss this later?”

“So you’ve been saying for the past 10 years of our lives. You’re a senior in college. Time to think about more than just your latest essay on the Industrial Revolution.”

“Not studying that,” Jensen muttered.

“My point is-,”

“I know what your point is,” Jensen said. “But even if I changed my routine up completely and became the most interesting person ever, there’s not a lot of guys that are jumping to date a nerd with classes and sweater vests.”

“Give yourself more credit, Jenny. You’re an awesome guy.”

Jensen gave Danneel a genuine smile. “Thanks, Danni.”

Danneel gathered up the remains of her sandwich. “Just think about it.”

Jensen went back to his book.

 

The next morning, at 8:30 as usual, Jensen entered Early Bird and grinned at Danneel when she handed him his coffee. “What if I wanted something different?” Jensen teased.

“Monotonous lifestyle, remember?”

Jensen rolled his eyes at Danni. “I’m trying to be different.”

Danni snorted. “But you’re not starting with coffee.”

Jensen shrugged. “There’s no replacement for black coffee.”  

Jensen turned to his usual table to sit, and froze when another guy was already sitting there and reading the newspaper. And after he got over the shock of seeing someone else sitting in his seat, Jensen took a moment to examine the guy. He was tall. Even sitting down Jensen could see that he was as tall as Jensen, if not taller. He had long hair, and Jensen usually found it unattractive but on this guy it was working. Like, _really_ working. He had big arms and a tee shirt that was too tight. Jensen was practically drooling. Jensen turned to Danneel, gaping. “He—my seat—what?”

Danneel was smirking. “You’re really telling me you’re more interesting at the fact that he’s in your _seat_ rather than the fact that _he’s_ in your seat?”

“What?”

“He’s _gorgeous_. You were drooling over him.”

Jensen huffed. “I don’t drool.”

“Well, there’s a first time for everything.” Danneel rested her elbows on the counter. “You think he’s straight?”

 _God I hope not_. “Go after him if you want. I’m going to class.”

“30 minutes early?”

“Well it’s not like I have a place to sit,” Jensen retorted.

“Because you couldn’t possibly sit anywhere else,” Danneel muttered. “Have fun in class!”

Jensen stuck his tongue out at her. “Love you, too.”

And Jensen looks at his table in the corner and it’s just his luck that Handsome-Seat-Stealing Guy looks up and makes eye contact with Jensen. Jensen feels himself blush and ducks out of the store before an awkward moment can occur.

The last thing he sees is a pair of beautiful hazel eyes.

 

Jensen and Danneel met for lunch in the park this time, because Danneel _insisted_ on being different. “So,” Danneel said with a mouthful of salad. “Do you know anything about the boy?”

“Chew your food,” Jensen replied. “And what boy?”

Danni rolled her eyes. “The guy that stole your seat? Which really isn’t yours and you have a strange sense of self-righteousness for believing that you can sit in the same spot every day.”

“I’m not self-righteous,” Jensen grumbled. “I just like that seat. It has good light. For reading and stuff.”

“Whatever. Wanna hear about what happened in English?”

Jensen nodded but didn’t entirely hear what she was saying. His thoughts were clouded by a bright smile and kind hazel eyes. Danni snapped her fingers in front of his face. “You didn’t hear a word of what I just said, did you?”

Jensen stared at the ground. “I’m sorry.”

Danni patted his knee. “I’m not mad. I know what you’re feeling.”

“I’m feeling kinda sick because I think this fish is undercooked. Also I have to finish this huge paper for English. But other than that I’m cool.”

“And this distraction has _nothing_ to do with the hot guy that was in your seat that isn’t actually _your_ seat?”

“No, of course not,” Jensen said hurriedly. “I’m not that pathetic.”

“So, it wouldn’t mean anything if I told you that he’s standing right over there?” Danneel pointed over Jensen’s shoulder and Jensen’s head snapped around. _Dammit_. “Oh. Are you sure that’s him?”

“You tell me. You were the one drooling over him this morning.”

Jensen blushed. “Wasn’t drooling.”

“So it is him.”

“Never said that.”

“But it is.”

“Fine, okay, fine it looks like him,” Jensen admitted. “A lot like him.” It was absolutely and definitely him. The same messy, long hair and tall stance. Now that he was standing, Jensen could see that he wasn’t just taller than Jensen; he was taller than Jensen by a few inches. Jensen even felt short compared to him. And the boy was smiling. It was better than the smile Jensen imagined in his head; the smile was bigger and brighter and he had _dimples_.

His eyes went back to Danneel and frowned at the smirk on her face. “Shut up.”

“Didn’t say anything.”

“Well, you wanted to.”

Danni giggled. “Like how pathetic it is that you’ve known him for a few hours and you’re already imagining your white picket fence life? Could say that. Or how you could have just gone up to him this morning and asked to sit with him, or you could go up to him down and talk to him.”

“He doesn’t know me. He met my eyes for a few seconds. And then I ran away.”

“Because you’re socially inept, I know.”

“I am not socially inept,” Jensen snapped. “I’m just not good around people.”

“AKA, socially inept.”

“I’m friends with you, what doe that say about your social life?” Jensen asked.

“I pity the socially inept. I’m a kind, loving person that takes in those who are lost and need advice on how to hook up with the hot guy that takes the socially inept boy’s seat in the coffee house.”

“Gee, how kind of you,” Jensen drawled. “I don’t even know if he’s gay.” Mysterious Coffee House guy was chatting with a pair of girls while he walked in the direction of the science labs. “By the looks of it, no,” Jensen said glumly.

Danneel perked up. “That’s Sandy McCoy!”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“Shut up and let me finish. She’s in my Organic Chem class. I could try and talk to her. See if he’s dating anyone and or his sexual preferences.”

Jensen brightened. “You could do that?”

Danni ruffled his hair. “I’m tired of you sitting at home and being bored. Maybe your mystery man can perk you up.”

Jensen flipped her off and left to class with her taunting laughter behind him.

 

Danneel burst into their shared apartment with a smirk on her face. Jensen was getting really tired of that smirk. “You owe me, Jensen Ackles!” Danni sung.

Jensen didn’t put down his book. “What do I owe you for?”

“I talked to Sandy.”

Jensen couldn’t stop the blush that spread across his face. “Oh?”

“Yup.” Danni plopped beside him and pulled the book away. “Ask me what she said.”

“No.”

“Jensen! Don’t you want all the details on tall, dark, and handsome?”

“He doesn’t seem all that dark, Danni,” Jensen said. “More like…” Jensen stopped. He didn’t need Danni making fun of her more than she already would. Saying that the tall boy reminded Jensen of sunshine would earn him _weeks_ of taunting.

“Come on, Jenny. Ask me!”

If only to satisfy Danneel, definitely _not_ because Jensen was curious, Jensen asked, “What did she say?”

“What did who say?”

“I don’t want to play games.”

“Fine. Sandy said that the boy, whose name is Jared Pada-something, is 19 years old and majoring in Journalism. A sophomore.”

“Journalism?”

“Well, we can’t all grow up and become doctors, now can we?” Danneel scoffed. “Sandy said he was sweet and funny and reminded her of a puppy. And he’s single.”

“Is he gay?” Jensen asked eagerly. From the look on Danni’s face, the eagerness didn’t go unnoticed.

“All she said was that he was single. I didn’t get more than that.”

Jensen’s face fell. He didn’t bother concealing his emotions this time; Danneel knew him like the back of her hand. “Oh.”

“I’ll find out, Jenny, don’t you worry. And besides, you’re so gorgeous you could probably _turn_ him gay if he’s straight.”

“Danni, we’ve been over this. Sweater vests, glasses, and I know the librarian personally.”

“Stop selling yourself short,” Danneel said briskly. “I’m going to get you your man, Ackles.”

Jensen rolled his eyes but didn’t protest. If Danneel thought she could get Jared Pada-something, who was more handsome than anyone else had the right to be and also was probably straight, to fall for Jensen then she could just go ahead and do it. But Jensen didn’t have high hopes.

***** 

Jared was sitting with Sandy in the library. She was buzzing with news of some sort and Jared had been poking and prodding to get it out of her for the past hour. “Sandy,” Jared whined. “Just tell me what you have to say!”

“Do your homework. I don’t have anything to say.”

“Saaannndyy,” Jared pleaded. “You’re hiding something. And it’s something big, too.”

Sandy was bubbly with excitement. “Okay. I talked to Danneel Harris today.”

“Who?” The name sounded familiar but Jared couldn’t place it.

“She’s a senior, two years above us. She works at the coffee place? Something Beans?”

“Oh! She’s got red hair, right?”

“Yup.” Sandy smirked. “She’s also Jensen Ackles’ best friend.”

Jared blushed. Jensen was Jared’s TA for a semester and Jared had become instantly fascinated by him. It wasn’t a crush, it really wasn’t, Jared just wanted to be his friend. Jensen always seemed to shy and timid and Jared wanted to hug him and walk around with him and hang out with him. The few smiles that Jared saw flash across Jensen’s face were so pretty that Jared wanted to be the one that put the smiles on his face.

But the semester ended and Jensen ceased to exist in Jared’s life.

Jared never forgot him and always looked for a way to introduce himself to the older boy. But Jensen seemed to vanish as quickly as he came. Jared figured he was extra busy because it was his last year in college. Until Jared took a different route to class past the coffee shop two weeks ago and saw Jensen sitting in the back corner.

He stood there for 10 minutes, just watching the older boy and daydreaming about sitting next to him and Jensen flashing him one of his rare, beautiful smiles. Jared went back every day after that even if it took longer to get to class. Jensen was always there, always in the same table at the same time. Today on impulse Jared beat him there. And he sat at Jensen’s table.

Jared wanted Jensen to come over to him, maybe to yell at him to move or ask to join him. Jare didn’t care; he just wanted to talk to Jensen. But Jensen left the store instead. On the way out the door, Jensen made eye contact with Jared and a hint of something flashed in Jensen’s green eyes. Then he was gone and Jared fought the need to run after him.

Was Sandy saying something? Oh. Danneel Harris. “Why’d she ask about me?”

“Apparently Jensen wondered who the annoying, albeit hot, guy sitting at his table was.”

“He thinks I’m hot?” Jared all but fell off his chair. They were supposed to be quiet in the library but _Jensen Ackles_ , who in Jared’s eyes and probably the entire world’s, is the hottest guy to ever walk. He always looks so put together and Jared might have a thing for his glasses.

Sandy smirked. “Not a crush, huh?”

Jared blushed. “No. Did he seem, well, annoyed that I sat there?”

“Pissed off was what Danneel said.”

 _Oh great_. “I just wanted him to notice me.”

“Well, you’re definitely on his radar,” Sandy pointed out. “He might be a little angry but he _was_ curious about you. That’s saying something.”

“Maybe he just wants to know where I live so he can kill me,” Jared said glumly.

“Well, sunshine, it’s that attitude that gets you new friends.”

“Go away.”

Sandy doesn’t budge. “Also, Danneel was hinting at whether or not you were gay.”

What’d you say?”

“Just that you were single.”

“You didn’t tell her I was gay?” Jared asked. “Why the hell not?”

“To keep her _interested_. She’s going to want to know, and when she finds out she might just abandon the topic. If you remain a mystery, she’ll have to keep paying attention to you. Jensen too.”

“Jensen’s pissed at me.”

“Be the stubborn asshole I know you to be and sit at his table again. Try and strike up a conversation.”

“How can I possibly strike up a conversation with him? He won’t even look at me, probably,” Jared said. “I’ve got nothing.”

“You’ve got me,” Sandy protested.

“Then maybe you can give me ideas on how to talk to Jensen?”

“You could have a conversation with a _brick wall_. Why do you need my advice?”

Jared blushed. “I don’t. I just sort of forget myself around him.”

Sandy smirked. “Yeah. It’s not a crush.”

“It isn’t!”

Sandy just laughs.

 *****

It’s just Jensen’s luck that Jared Pada-something is sitting in Jensen’s seat. Again. He’s got a textbook in front of him instead of an old newspaper today and Jensen stares at him for a moment. Jensen hoped that his mind made up how hot Jared was and if Jensen ever saw him again the boy would less impress him.

Jensen was wrong.

Jared was wearing jeans and a shirt that fit snugly and it physically _hurt_ to peel his eyes away from the gorgeous boy. Danneel didn’t miss him staring like Jensen hoped she would.

“Gonna go sit with Jared?”

“No,” Jensen snapped. “I have to be in class early. Talk to my professor.”

“About what?” Danneel asked innocently.

“About history. Thanks for the coffee.”

“See you at lunch!” Danneel calls. “Don’t be late!”

“I’m never late,” Jensen mumbles to himself. He rushes out in a hurry and doesn’t see Jared’s sad hazel eyes watching him go.  

 

Jensen arrives way to early to class and, as expected, no one else is there. Professor Morgan is organizing papers on his desk and doesn’t look up when Jensen creeps into his classroom. He wishes he had someone to ask for advice on this. How do you go from wanting to punch someone to wanting to make out with them?

Not that Jensen wants to make out with Jared. Just… in a hypothetical situation.

Jensen opened up his notebook where notes were messily scrawled. Danneel said his handwriting was unreadable and Jensen grudgingly agreed with her. It was a miracle he managed to pass his classes and chalked it up to detailed textbooks.

Since he doesn’t have a lot else to do, Jared wastes his time day dreaming about Jared. And plotting how to get him out of Jensen’s table in Early Bird Beans. Maybe if he got there when they opened.

At 7:00 am. Jensen is dead to the world at 7 am; he’s not going to get up any earlier just for a _table_. The fact that he considered it shows how truly desperate he is.

Plan A is out. Plan B would be to actually sit down at the table and discuss Jared’s relocation.

But that would require _talking_ to Jared. Plan B out.

Jensen meticulously thought through every situation possible. It occurred to him just as class was starting that this whole thing was different. Danneel was getting her wish after all; Jared threw Jensen totally out of his routine.

Even more so when Jensen walks towards where he and Danni are supposed to be eating lunch. Jared’s friend Sandy is sitting on the picnic blanket beside Danneel… along with Jared. Jared, whose head is thrown back in laughter and the sun is shining on him and he looks like the best thing in the world. Jensen wants to go over and talk to Jared but for some reason his gut clenches up and knows that he will inevitably say something stupid to mess it up. So Jensen makes like a coward and walks away before anyone on the stupid picnic blanket realizes he was there, gawking at Jared Pada-something.

 *****

Jared sat on the picnic blanket with Danneel and Sandy. “Jensen’s _never_ late,” Danneel repeated for the third time. “I don’t know where he is.” Her tone was irritated the first time and now it’s transformed into concerned. “I’m gonna call him.” She paused while the phone rang. “Voicemail.”

Jared secretly suspected Jensen knew Jared would be there and turned tail to avoid him. What he was still trying to wrap his head around was _why_. Why would it be so horrible for he and Jensen to get to know each other?

“I’m going to go look for him,” Danneel announced. “Sorry he managed to what otherwise would have been a fun lunch.”

Jared shrugs. “He probably has a lab or something. It’s no worry.” Jared doesn’t point out that as Jensen’s self-appointed definitely _not_ stalker he knows Jensen doesn’t need lab time until two days from now.

Danneel apparently doesn’t know this because she says, “Good idea. I’ll check there.”

Jared wondered if it was creepy he knew more about Jensen’s schedule than Jensen’s best friend.

 

Sandy, despite Jared’s mixed feelings about the idea, convinces Jared to sit at Jensen’s table again. It’s three days now and when Jensen comes in to get his coffee he doesn’t look Jared’s way at all. He orders from Danni and they have a hushed, angry conversation before Jensen grabs his coffee and leaves the store. Jared watches him the whole time.

Danneel walks over to him with a sympathetic look on her face. “He’ll come around.”

“It’s okay if he doesn’t,” Jared says glumly. “This whole steal his table thing isn’t working as well as I hoped.”

“Jensen’s just the sort of guy that’s not used to having anything change in his life. He’s fucking anal about everything, can’t even change his laundry detergent. He’s crazy. But he’s also sweet, and he likes you. Or he’s interested in you.”

“Interested in me?”

“Well, curious. He wants to know who has the balls to upset his schedule and is relatively upset when he finds out it’s a little sophomore.” Danni winks to let him know she’s kidding. “Just be patient with his stupid ass.”

“I want to be his friend,” Jared whined.

“That’s it? I’ve never met a gay guy in the world that wanted to be ‘just friends’ with Jensen.”

“I don’t remember telling you I was gay.”

“No, but you just told me now.”

Jared opened his mouth and then snapped it shut. Apparently Danneel is as clever as Sandy. “Oh.”

“You think I’m clever, just wait until you get to know Jensen.”

“If he ever wants to get to know me.”

Danni winked. “If anything’s Jensen’s Achilles Heel, it’s a hot guy that goes after what he wants.”

Jared clings to that string of open and pretends to read some random book on medicine he picked up. Jensen was majoring in medicine. So Jared figured he might find out some facts about the mysterious field Jensen plans to go into. Unfortunately all the words are too big and his nose crinkles in confusion.

“Don’t hurt your brain,” someone says above him. Jared’s mouth falls open for the second time when Jensen is standing above him. Apparently he decided to come back for a second cup of coffee? And talk to Jared? What? “It’s easier if you’re planning to become a doctor and actually know what the book is saying,” Jensen continues. He eases the book away from Jared and snaps it shut.

Jared blushed. “Um…” _How do you say that I was reading it because I’m obsessed with you?_

“You’re obsessed with me?” Jensen asked.

 _Oh my god, I said the last part? out loud. Oh my god._ “What?”

Jensen laughed. “It’s okay. I’m worth obsessing over.”

“I can’t believe I said that out loud.” Jared dropped his head to the table and hoped that Jensen would take a hint and go to class. “Don’t you have history now?”

“You know my schedule?”

 _Please let the ceiling fall in and kill me_. “Um, just that you have history.”

“And I’m majoring in medicine.”

“I just know that because of chem!”

Jensen raised an eyebrow. “So you do know.”

“You’re as clever as Danneel!”

Jensen leaned back and took a sip of his coffee. “Where do you think she learned it from?”

“She said you were routine-oriented and boring. I didn’t figure you’d be, you know, clever.” Jared wanted to beat himself. He just called Jensen boring.

Jensen smiled at him and Jared felt his heart stop. It was the rare, beautiful smile that Jared prayed for months Jensen would give him. “Yeah. People are usually distracted by the sweater vests and glasses to realize that I might actually be interesting.” There was a slight bitterness in his voice.

“I think you’re interesting,” Jared mumbled. “And I think you look good with sweater vests and glasses.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Jared cleared his throat. “You were my TA in organic chemistry and the first time I saw you I wanted to be your friend. Because you just looked like someone it would be fun to be friends with.”

“You wanted to be friends,” Jensen repeated.

“Well, at first. I mean, yes I do. I still do. But I’d also like more. If that’s okay with you and I totally get if it’s not because I stole your table to get you to notice me and tried to read a medical book so we’d have something to talk about-,” Jared stops talking when he realizes Jensen is laughing, full blown head thrown back cackling. “What?”

“You’re really something, Jared. Hm. I’m interested in you too, and I can’t even pronounce your last name.”

“It’s okay, a lot of people can’t. It’s Padalecki,” Jared told him.

“Padalecki,” The word rolls off Jensen’s tongue. “I like it much more than Pada-something.”

Jared smiled. “Pada-something?”

“Well forgive me for not pronouncing some complicated last name.”

“You’re a _doctor_!” Jared exclaimed. “Shouldn’t you be an expert on pronouncing complicated words?”

Jensen smirks. “Maybe I just wanted an excuse to talk to you.”

“Really?”

“No. I came over here to ask you to stop sitting at my table and then realized you were suffering through a medical textbook. Which is really cute, by the way.”

Jared blushed. “Shut up.”

“Fine.” Jensen. “Tell me about you then.”

Jared rambles on about himself and lets Jensen throw in details if they have something in common. It’s not until 10:00 that Jared realizes Jensen’s missed his history class. “You skipped class!”

Jensen shrugged. “I was having more fun here, anyway. Danneel said I had to man up and be different sometimes. So I told my professor I wasn’t going to class and came back to confront you.”

“And instead we have a conversation.”

Jensen smiles. “Instead we have a conversation. And I’ve never been so happy to skip a class in my life.”

“Is it the first class you’ve skipped? From what I understand you’re a giant nerd,” Jared teased.

“Don’t make me regret this.”

“Never. So, we could like, go somewhere. Tonight. As in a date.”

“Wow, I’ve never been asked out so romantically.”

Jared laughed and blushed. “Jensen Ackles, will you go out with me?”

“I guess it’s the least I can do for the guy obsessed with me.”

“You’re mean.”

Jensen pulls Jared to his feet. “Well I guess I’ll just have to change your opinion.”

“Does this mean I can sit at your table.”

Jensen giggled and looped his arms around Jared’s neck. “Our table.”

Jared can’t help himself when he kisses Jensen. After all, he’s obsessed.  


End file.
